Road upgrades ready by year-end

Road upgrades ready by year-end

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

By the end of the year, motorists may no longer have to battle
for limited space in the congested areas of Cawang in East
Jakarta; Tomang and Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta; and Senen in
Central Jakarta; as three underpasses and an overpass will become
operational.

The City Public Works Agency deputy head Wishnu Subagio said
on Thursday that from the four projects, only the Cawang
underpass work had been completely finished.

"Our construction work on the Senen underpass is 85 percent
complete, the Tomang underpass is 90 percent and the Jl. Daan
Mogot overpass 83 percent complete," he said.

Apart from the four traffic improvement projects, an overpass
in Tanjung Barat, South Jakarta, which is being fully financed by
the Ministry of Settlements and Regional Infrastructure, is near
completion and is expected to be open to the public sometime this
month.

In total, the city administration has spent Rp 235.5 billion
(US$25.60 million) for the four projects. Some Rp 68.5 billion
was taken from the 2004 revised city budget, which was just
approved last month.

The administration has been criticized for its inconsistent
policies. It has promoted its efforts to improve public
transportation by establishing the busway and making plans to
build a monorail, a subway and a river transportation system.

However, the construction of underpasses and overpasses will
benefit private car owners, transportation observers said, as it
would encourage people to buy new cars.

Overpass and underpass projects

Project Name Cost Progress in %

Cawang underpass Rp 41.1 billion 100 %

Senen underpass Rp 73.2 billion 85 %

Tomang underpass Rp 26.57billion 90 %

Daan Mogot overpass Rp 54.8 billion 83 %

Under the Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure

Tanjung Barat and Pasar Rebo overpasses Rp 129 billion

Jl. Suprapto and Jl. Pramuka overpasses Rp 118 billion

Source: Jakarta Public Works Agency